"I just regret who I was as a teenager. I could have been better but ended up doing all sort of stupid things."
"Well… That's too much philosophy..." Young Jae spoke again, wishing he had a mouth filter.
A peal of hearty laughter erupted from the younger man. The laugh was pleasing to ears and soothed Young Jae. Irrespective of talking about the grim topic and having different viewpoints, Young Jae felt at ease with Min Jun. Young Jae felt like he could talk about anything and everything without any inhibition with Min Jun.
"True. Too much philosophy. Let's blame it on BB. I was spending the last two days completely with him, and the old man's wisdom rubbed me off, I guess."
"Old man? How old is he?" Young Jae asked without any inhibition. For some reasons, he didn't mind that he always spoke what was in his mind out to Min Jun anymore.
"He is somewhere between 25-26 years only. I guess. Around two years older than Moon Chin Hae Hyung."
"Then why are you calling him an old man?" Young Jae enquired.
"That is your cousin's doing."
"Really?" Young Jae had difficulty in imagining Chin Hae Hyung calling someone a couple of years older than him as the old man. That to someone he respects and cherishes a lot.
"Why did Chin Hae Hyung call him an old man?" Young Jae asked Min Jun without any inhibition.
Young Jae always withheld himself from asking questions to his cousin. They were not familiar with each other irrespective of being the same family. Also, the thought of bothering his cousin with the questions and invading his cousin's privacy made him even more hesitant.
The strange comfort and familiarity he felt from Min Jun made his voice out the question. He got silence as an answer. It was not uncomfortable even though he was expectantly waiting for an answer.
In the morning, he had his guard up and against Min Jun. But slowly it became useless and was tosed to a corner of some room far away by the evening. Min Jun's scrutinising gaze became a comforting gaze. Simultaneously, Min Jun's ability to correctly interpret emotions shifted from annoyance to understanding Young Jae's perspective. Min Jun's presence made Young Jae feel secure even without doing anything.
The trust Min Jun had in him enough to share something intimate made Young Jae lower his guard and be more familiar with the guy who was almost a year younger than him.
'With everything happened to me, shouldn't I vary of him?' the questioned nagged him.
But the trust he had on his cousin won over. 'If Chin Hae Hyung didn't trust Min Jun, he wouldn't have left him alone with him? Chin Hae Hyung was always good at reading people, unlike me.' Young Jae reasoned with him.
Young Jae, all of a sudden, remembered an interaction he had with his cousin when he was dating Jo Rim. His cousin did warn him to beware of Jo Rim, but he brushed it off in anger. If only he asked more and listened carefully, he could have saved him from humiliation and heartbreak.
He never remembered about the encounter till now. The regret pooled in his stomach.
*********************************************
During an exam break when Chin Hae came back for a few days break, he cornered Young Jae alone after the dinner.
"I don't know his name. Well… I don't care about his name. But beware of him."
"Who?" Young Jae was baffled by the sudden interruption from the cousin who never spoke to anyone.
"Driver's son you have been hanging out a lot with.
"His name is Jo Rim. I don't think remembering someone's name needs too much effort." Young Jae tried to curb his temper.
"I don't have to remember the names of the people I don't care about" Chin Hae stated it as a matter of fact.
Young Jae didn't want to have any word with his rude cousin anymore.
He wanted to walk away.
Chin Hae grabbed Young Jae's hand right above the elbow to stop the rebellious teenager from walking away.
"Did you forget he is the son of Choi Na Ri's driver? Don't walk yourself to the disaster."
Jo Rim walked in on them to hear the words. He stood rooted there.
It was not the first time he was called the driver's son. His family lived in the small staff quarters in the Moon family mansion. His mother was one of the cooks working in the kitchen. So he ended up doing some minor errands and help here and there. He was ashamed of the fact that his parents were servants and desperately wanted to change it.
Young Jae knew that Jo Rim's parents' occupation was always a sour and painful topic for him.
"Don't go over-board Hyung or else..." Young Jae was worried about his boyfriend, and he didn't want to deal with this as*hole cousin of his.
"Else what? Not happy enough to be fooled by others and you want your stupidity to be known to everyone in the house?" Chin Hae asked in the mocking tone.
Chin Hae's gaze turned towards Jo Rim.
"You… I know you are up to something. Stop it before I find out what it is. Or else you will regret forever for messing with someone you shouldn't." Chin Hae glared at Jo Rim.
With that Chin Hae walked away.
The anger Young Jae felt at the moment was immense. But he didn't say a word.
Moon Chin Hae was never allowed to stay at home for more than a week because he resembled his mother in looks. He was still the son of the current heir and his first wife. He had the privilege of talking as he wishes, unlike Young Jae, the second son's son.
While the first son qualifies to become the hire and run the family, the second son only assists the first son in handling the family business.
As for him, who was the son of the second son, his status was low. He would never become an important figure of the family. Chin Hae's elder brother Moon Chin Hae will become the heir whereas Chin Hae have to work to help his brother.
At least Young Jae had the choice to serve his elder cousin or move out of the house and do whatever he wanted as long as it was considered a promising career by the family elders. And as the family heir, his cousin brother, Moon Chin Hwa, has to agree to his career choice to pursue his dream.
Young Jae grit his teeth and put up with the disgraceful words of the family heir's younger brother due to his status.
Jo Rim looked scared.
Young Jae looked at his boyfriend and walked to him.
Without even thinking they were in the corridor of the house and anyone could walk in on them, he held Jo Rim's hand.
It was not acceptable for the master's kids to play with servant's kids. They would receive a harsh punishment if they were found together. Especially holding hand. But Young Jae just wanted to comfort his boyfriend.
"All he knew were how to order people around and look down on others. Please don't take his words seriously. He doesn't know your worth. Don't take his words seriously."
Jo Rim blinked his eyes. His eyes turned tender even without him knowing it.
Without even thinking, he took Young Jae in his arms. He held him tighter as if his life depends on him.
When they let go of each other's embrace, Young Jae was all flushed.
Jo Rim looked little guilty. Even sad...
The naive Young Jae thought Jo Rim felt all these because of his cousin Chin Hae's words.
He kissed Jo Rim on the cheek, shyly to comfort his boyfriend.
Jo Rim was indeed startled. His heart beat faster for the first time.
Every time they held each other's hand, Jo Rim always said 'it was a part of his job.'
But for the first time, he wanted it to be more than a job. He wanted to enjoy the attention of the guy whose life he should ruin.
Without even realising, there was a longing in his eyes. But Young Jae interpreted the gaze differently. The longing on Jo Rim's eyes made Young Jae blush a shade more.
"I have…. Assignments… I meant… books... to read… I will... see you... later… Bye!" Young Jae shuttered before leaving.
*************************************************
Young Jae didn't know his first boyfriend was employed by his so-called cousin brother Moon Chin Hwa to date him and gain his trust. So that it would be easy to out him to his entire family, he ignored Chin Hae's words and never attempted to enquire more about the hostility toward Jo Rim. If only he asked more and listened carefully, he could have saved him from humiliation and heartbreak.
Without even realising, Young Jae looked dejected when the bitterness spread through his heart. 'How dense was I not to know who cares and who digs the pit for me? I was really bullhead.'